2020–2021 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™
8 External Disease and Cornea
Chapter 14: Clinical Aspects of Toxic and Traumatic Injuries of the Anterior Segment
Chemical Injuries
Acid Burns
Acid solutions with very low pH tend to cause less severe tissue damage than do alkaline solutions because acids denature and precipitate proteins in the tissues they contact, forming a barrier to penetration. Mild acid burns can cause an epithelial defect (Fig 14-6). Acid burns can cause severe damage to the ocular surface, but compared with alkali burns, there is a lower chance of corneal melting or penetration of the solution into the anterior chamber. The exception to diminished penetration is a hydrofluoric acid burn, which can cause significant anterior segment destruction. Acid burns do not directly cause loss of the proteoglycan ground substance in the cornea, although they can incite severe inflammation and damage to the corneal matrix and result in corneal opacification (Fig 14-7) or symblepharon formation (Fig 14-8).
Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 10 - Glaucoma. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.